In August last year, the broadband connection crossed 808 million in India following an increase in the number of new subscribers. The rise of digitalisation has brought India a step closer to understanding the increasing need for broadband. Apparently, the years have been tempered by findings of DQL (digital quality of life index 2021), which is an annual ranking released around September. So, what is it, you check when you hit on the broadband connection Bangalore option or from any other city from the comfort of your home? Before diving deep into this, let’s understand India’s stance on broadband networks.
India is in 59th position out of 110 countries on the DQL index. Of the distinct factors used to evaluate the quality of your online experience, inadequate congruence between stability in India and broadband speed is particularly conspicuous. As per the index, India appears to enjoy a stable broadband connection relatively. However, speed remains stays the problem. So, on the whole, the data place our country’s internet quality as a key DQL indicator at the 67th position and, thus, decisively under the lower half of the countries surveyed.
Conventionally, Indian service providers have touted high broadband speed as being their USP. However, speed continues to be the main concern and is subject to scrutiny. However, there’s a rising sense of urgency among stakeholders in the broadband connectivity ecosystem regarding the requirement for a holistic approach that majorly prioritizes reliability, quality, and user experience.
For instance, the broadband India forum has declared by 2025 India aims to be among the top ten countries providing a prudent broadband user experience. When taken together, improved broadband quality and high penetration can act as game changers for the country’s efforts to attain the SDGs (sustainable development goals).
Read on to understand what points you must incorporate to determine the perfect internet service providers that may offer a good, leased line or broadband connection –
Coverage –
In case an ISP has zero coverage in business locations, you may even move on with another service provider. There are various internet service providers that do not come with high coverage in most parts of the country but are dependent on the partner’s infrastructure to endow the service.
Kinds of Connection –
There are three major kinds of internet connections – Fiber optics, VSAT and radio connections.
A survey must be done to determine which type of connection is best suited for your business. This is a benefit if the internet service provider can offer both fibre optics and radio connection to offer a backup, which is necessary for avoiding any network interruptions.
Reliability –
An unreliable internet network service is not prudent for business productivity and brand image. Many internet service providers would claim they hold 98 per cent – 99.99 per cent of uptime, and honestly, few may hold a few downtimes too. So, in such a case, there must be an SLA (service level agreement) that stipulates the service that must be rendered in the case of downtimes, what ISP is willing to endow to make up for the client, i.e., discounts, credit periods, etc.
Tip – Check the internet service provider’s site to view and connect with their clients for feedback on the ISP service available.
Bandwidth –
As a business, you need to know the bandwidth (speed) that may be appropriate before asking for a quote. This would depend on the number of users as well as internet-connected devices (like video conference devices, servers, etc.), your kind of business/organization – web hosting, an application like CRM, graphics, e-commerce, etc.
The prudent thing here is the upload, and download speed must come with dedicated internet access, which is particularly great for the purpose of video conferencing.
Tip – In case you run a small organization or business with 5 to 10 staff that mainly upload or download files of below 30 MB each, emails, browse the web, and watch a few online videos, you will require a speed of between 10 to 15 Mbps for smooth operation.
Upstream capacity –
This is crucial, particularly as more businesses are encouraging remote chores. The internet service providers require holding the capacity to endow remote access and automated offsite backup to allow companies to simply transmit the data to your staff.
Expertise in field service as well as customer service –
It is crucial that the devices are properly installed. Having poor cabling can impact the service quality, and may result in frequent disruptions.. Also, in case your company is the one that needs an internet connection for 24 X 7, then you require customer service that is available 24X7. Problems with an internet connection are bound to occur, but how quickly the ISP can attend to them and resolve them is a priority for every business.
Tips – When looking for a prudent ISP, don’t forget to ask for awards or certificates that you can attest to your customer service analysis column and receive feedback from your clients.
Equipment quality as well as flexibility –
ISPs are aware of which access points are of high standards and have an in-built firewall. Mostly they recommend what they believe is prudent and supportive, particularly after a physical site survey is conducted. ISPs usually do not offer choices when it comes to access points. However, you may request a specific device you trust, however, you must listen to what the internet service provider has to say.
Length of the contract –
Generally, most contract lengths are of 12 months, i.e., 1 year. So, the best part here is even if you do not make the payment monthly owing for any reason, the internet service provider still will keep your internet activity because of the contract. Many of the ISPs even offer you a temporary discount, particularly if the company is not performing that well or can enhance your bandwidth for any specific day to cater for the enhanced demand. The drawback is that you may be levied a penalty charge in the case of early contract termination.
Conclusion
When selecting ISP (internet service provider), most companies concentrate majorly on the expense and do not put much thought into other aspects that are equally crucial. The aim of every company selecting an internet service provider must not be to get the lowest-priced service but to factor in other crucial differentiators. Ensure to factor in the above mentioned parameters to zero in on the best ISP.